


I Don't See How You Could Be So Heavenly

by combferris_wheel



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, High School
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-10
Updated: 2014-01-10
Packaged: 2018-01-08 04:59:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1128618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/combferris_wheel/pseuds/combferris_wheel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cosette can't figure out why the boy at her new school won't stop staring at her.<br/>She's a freshman and it's her very first year in public school; so far, she's just weirded out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Green Eyes

Cosette can't figure out why the boy at her new school won't stop staring at her. It's the very first day, she hasn't made any friends, and she is completely clueless as to why this skinny white boy with really big eyes keeps looking at her. She's never met him, and yet his concentration followed her like a laser. She's been trying to keep herself occupied with studies so that she won't think about him, but his face always seems to seep it's way back into her mind.

It finally got too creepy when the boy switched into her chorus class. Cosette was already having it hard enough in chorus, where, although she excelled, the other students were jealous that some girl who didn't even go to middle school with them was somehow taking all their solos. Now she was having to deal with stalker-boy too? 

High school, she had concluded, was not at all what she had seen in the movies.

Three days passed and he wasn't able to say one word. But he continued to watch her. She decided it was something she could ignore, and that's what she did. He became something of an alarm clock in the back of her brain: she was reminded of him in second period, but forgot him as soon as she could.

She'd obviously learned his name from roll call. His name was Marius. Family name, maybe? Whatever, it's not like she was going to think about him.

She was wrong.

 

Cosette was able to make friends as the first week went by.

Or at least, figured out that she knew a girl from when they were little.

Apparently, the brunette that sat beside Cosette in math was someone who she used to play with. Cosette lived in a foster home until she was seven years old, and it was "run" by this girl's parents. But it turned out her parents were con artists, waiting on checks every month from the government for keeping a girl's house on the rougher side of the city. They were definitely not licensed for it, and Cosette was taken away. Her life was transformed, but that's a different story, for another day.

The brunette girl's name was Eponine. She was a bit grungy, but she managed to keep herself looking pleasant (for the most part), and she rarely went somewhere without catching a boy's attention. She was sarcastic, greedy, and her favorite hobby was pick-pocketing. This, however, did not mean she didn't have a heart. Her big brown eyes told a sad story of a girl mistreated by her parents, who had to do everything on her own for herself and her brothers and sister. She didn't have a choice but to try and love life.

Cosette also met someone in her history class. He had black, curly hair that was usually hiding under a hat until the teacher made him take it off. He was wearing a black v-neck with jeans on the first day. He sat in the back, and spent most of his time doodling. He never spoke a word. Honestly, at first, he kind of scared her. The only reason she even got to talk with him was because there was a partner project assigned on thursday, and they were the only two who didn't seem to have anyone care to partner up with them. She was the first to say hi.

"What's your name?" she asked in her sweetest voice.

"My name is Grantaire, but in the name of all things holy, please don't call me that." He said. "Call me R."

His voice was deep and, surprisingly, calm. His bright blue eyes blinked steadily. Like they had meaning. 

Cosette hesitated. She was scared of making a wrong impression, even if it was for someone who obviously had a reason for his isolationism.

He had a paper on his desk. It was a drawing of a beach, but not one you find on the East coast. One with rocks, and a cliff. The sun was setting, and a single dolphin was jumping out of the water. It looked like something that belonged in a museum. It was amazing, Cosette had never seen anything like it. 

She pointed towards it. "That's really good, I like the colors you used on the sky. I'd always wanted to be able to draw, but I suck so bad. I guess I'll have to stick with singing and dancing."

Grantaire's face turned bright red. "Oh, it's really not that good. You should see what I got put into the summer art show last month. But thanks anyways, no one ever really notices them. Or me, at that. I'm a bit surprised you don't seem to be upset you have to be my partner."

"Well I'm new. This is actually my first week ever at public school." Cosette explained. "And besides, you don't seem so bad."

Grantaire laughed a little. "Well I hope that impression lasts long enough. Most sophomores in high school can't seem to find it in their heart to accept people like me."

Cosette couldn't help herself. "What do you mean, 'people like you'?"

"Well, I guess I'm just not the typical guy you find in the heat of the social circle. For starters, I don't like girls, and secondly, I'm struggling in the friend department."

Cosette smiled. "Trust me, you're not alone. You're, like, only the second person to talk to me this whole week. And if you think I have a problem with the gay community, you would be extremely wrong. My father may force me to go to mass every Sunday, but I promise I accept everyone. I would be honored to be your friend." 

This made Grantaire smile with his teeth for the first time in a month. It really was a beautiful smile.

Cosette heaved a sigh of relief. So this guys not all bad. And as their conversation went on, she learned that Eponine happened to be one of his only friends. Maybe Cosette was getting somewhere.

The next Thursday at lunch, she was sitting at the table with her new-&-few friends and noticed Marius sitting at a new spot, only two tables away from her.

It seemed he had found a new group of buddies to hang out with. The table he usually sat at consisted of a few freaks, mostly loners, and Marius, the loneliest of them all. 

But this table was much more colorful. It was only boys, but diversity wasn't an issue. Like, at all. 

Cosette turned her face around to Eponine. "Ep, who are those boys over there? I don't think I've met any of them." 

"You mean not even when they're shoving fliers in your face, preaching on about 'equality' and such?"

Cosette then suddenly remembered last Friday when a blonde haired boy was standing outside the pep rally taping posters on the wall, talking about funding for art classes. And the rest of his gang, who seemed to (annoyingly) follow suit. 

"Wait, wait, wait. You mean those are the guys from the pep rally? One if them stepped on my foot and didn't even stop to say sorry." Cosette said with a scoff.

Eponine giggled. "They like to make everyone think they're preoccupied with bigger things than high school. That includes high schoolers."

Cosette glanced over at the boy sitting beside Eponine, diagonal to her. "What do you think R? Pretentious prats? Or general do-gooders?"

He had also been staring over at the group of boys. "What? Oh...I don't know, they seem like pricks to me." 

"You're just trying to be nice because of mister angel-face sitting in the middle of the table." Eponine nudged Grantaire in the ribs. He gave her a look. 

Eponine huffed. "Sorry, sorry. Enjolras is really cute, though. A bit too clean for me. I kinda like boys with a dark side, you know?"

Cosette and Grantaire exchanged looks. This was something they feared talking to Eponine about, but she was right. She likes boys with a dark side. If by side, she means entire organism. Montparnasse was a sort of guy Eponine really didn't need, but she always crawled back to. 

Cosette knew how bad she wanted him. It was sort of sad, really.

But Cosette had seen the bruises. Eponine didn't deserve it.

Her mind traveled back to the boys sitting at the table.

"I think there's someone new over there? R, who is that?" 

"That's Marius Pontmercy. I had art with him for like a day, until he switched out. And trust me, it was for the best."

So, he had to switch into an easier art-type class. Maybe he wasn't a complete stalker. This eased Cosette a little bit, but it did not make up for the staring.

Eponine's eyes widened. "Pontmercy? You mean he lives in the big house on the hill beside that horse farm? I've been past there; I bet they have more money than the governor!"

"Marius is in my chorus class. He's extremely quiet." Cosette said. "Actually, to tell you the truth he's a little...odd."

Grantaire, still staring at the table, replied "Well, he's new. I think he had to move in with his grandfather, but I don't know details. I usually get my information about everything from some kid in my history class."

Eponine nodded her head. "Is it Courfeyrac? He knows everyone's business." 

"He has nice hair." Grantaire said.

"Not as nice a blondie's." Eponine winked.

Cosette turned once more to look at the boys. "Are they a club, or something?"

"They call themselves the Revels. I think it's supposed to be a mix of rebels and revolution. They meet every Wednesday at this cafe on Main Street, proving to the world that they're not really changing anything, just annoying hipsters who like to talk about their problems." Grantaire said with a smirk on his face. 

Cosette had a feeling Grantaire secretly would love to join them. But they would kick him out after five minutes. I don't think anyone with positive views on the world would be able to stand within three feet of a boy who's twitter name was @lifesucks.

But she didn't say anything. She just turned around for the last time, barely able to catch Marius looking at her. However, this time she didn't feel uncomfortable. She saw his eyes, which were no longer that big to to her. They were green and they were actually quite pretty. 

He had to be shaken by the boy next to him to be brought back down to earth. Cosette turned away and finished her lunch.

She was suddenly no longer afraid, but intrigued. Something about this boy made her want to figure him out, or read him, like a book.


	2. She's A Star In My Dark, Lonely Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marius isn't as thoughtless as we first thought him to be. At least now we know he can actually talk.

Marius was in a frenzy.

Here he was, with one week of school gone by, and he's already been called "freckle-face" and "that tall kid". He would say it's been hell, if it weren't for his good eyes and a dropped composition book.

When the curly haired boy that whistled at girls in the courtyard dropped his book in the hallway, no one seemed to notice. Except Marius. When he picked it up and handed it to curly-head, the boy smiled bigger than anyone Marius' had ever met.

He was thankful someone had seen him drop his book, and realized he didn't even know Marius, which is strange, because Courfeyrac knows everyone. At least, that's what Marius figured out when he was invited to sit with Courfeyrac and his friends at lunch the next day.

He had done it. He'd made new friends. The search was over, and he was now safe in high school. There was only one more thing to figure out.

That girl.

The girl in his chorus class.

The girl he dreamed about the night after he saw her. 

The girl he was scared of.

The girl he couldn't say a word to.

The most extraordinary person Marius had ever met.

The girl he was currently trying to describe to his grandfather.

"Grandfather, you don't understand. She isn't beautiful. She's extravagant. Her eyes are like nothing I've ever seen. Her...her hair curls perfectly into little ringlets and they bounce when she walks."

Monsieur Gillenormand chuckled as Marius ranted on and on.

"And you're sure you don't want to write poetry?"

Marius groaned. "This is serious, Grandfather! I think she may be the love of my life."

His grandfather laughed. "You are fifteen, Marius. You have plenty of time to figure out what love it."

"This has to be it. The butterflies in my stomach can't just be a coincidence. I get hot when I see her, and then I don't know how to talk. I get sweaty, and it's just plain embarrassing."

His grandfather looked at him. "You know, you can be such a drama queen."

"I can't help it! I think about her all the time and she doesn't even know I exist."

Monsieur Gillenormand sighed. "Well, is she new? Maybe she's just as scared as you are to meet new people."

"Yeah, she's been homeschooled all her life, I think."

"Then she's obviously adjusting to a new environment, quite like you are." said Grandfather.

"It's not that hard. I've always been in public school, just not in this area." Marius said.

"I know Marius. I'm just saying that transitioning into living with your grandfather hasn't been the easiest for you."

Marius looked down at his hands. He didn't like talking about his move that he had to make over the summer. 

"Yeah, um...I guess, maybe, we're both having new school jitters."

"Then you should try to become friends with her." Grandfather said. "Looking from afar isn't going to help either of you, Marius. And you are a sweet, good hearted, young man. Anyone who wouldn't want to be your friend obviously doesn't have a kind bone in their body."

Marius smiled. "I guess you're right. But, what am I supposed to do? Just...walk up to her and...and say hi? That seems like a long shot."

"I think anything that could potentially aid you is worth trying, if you play your cards right." Marius' grandfather said. "I mean, didn't you just say yesterday that you made new friends when you picked up a boy's notebook while he was rushing to class? That could've been a long shot! He could've been a bully. Hell, he could've been a criminal. I don't even know the kid. Or his group of friends, who, by your description, seem very odd to me. I mean, what fifteen year old goes by their last name?"

"It's just...how they act." Marius shrugged. "I'm not quite used to it either, and I doubt I can imagine anyone calling me 'Pontmercy'."

Marius sat down on the couch beside the chair his grandfather was sitting in.

"But, Grandfather, they're so...interesting. I mean, this one kid talked the cafeteria ladies into serving tator tots every day in return of him protesting their low pay. He's a genius, and his best friend almost got a perfect score on his SAT. I think they're pretty cool."

Monsieur Gillenormand sighed. "I'm sure they're a fun crowd. I just want you to find a friend who can keep you on a good path."

"Can't you just be happy I'm making friends at all?" Marius said with a slump onto his elbow.

His grandfather put his hand on him. "Of course Marius. Your parents would be so happy."

Marius' face turned red and he smiled at the floor. "I hope so."

"So this girl, what's her name again?"

"Cosette." Marius said as his face turned even more red.

"That is a very pretty name." Marius nodded his head in agreement. Ever since the first day the chorus teacher called out roll, and Marius heard that name, he repeated it in his head over and over again. It was a melody that was sung within his soul, and it filled the open cracks inside him that seemed to not know they existed. "I know. You should see the face that matches it." Marius said. "She really is beautiful, Grandfather." "Well, I would expect so. Your father had great taste also."

Marius looked at the clock on the wall. The time said 8:15. 

"I think I'm gonna head up and shower, Grandfather. Thanks for, you know, talking and everything. I think it'll help me a lot." he said. He hugged his grandfather on the couch, and got up to leave. 

Monsieur Gillenormand looked up at his grandson. "Just remember, Marius, that you are a very capable person. You have way more potential than you know. This Cosette girl would be crazy to not want to know you."

Marius smiled. "That sounds like something dad would say." He said. "You're a great friend, Grandfather. Night, love you."

"Love you too, Marius."


End file.
